Friday, September 6, 2013

Network TV never knows when to stop shilling, selling, hyping and hustling its audience.

According to media critic, David Zurawick at The Baltimore Sun, the network’s “Sunday Night Football” franchise is one of the epic success stories of prime-time TV, a winning hybrid of sports and pop culture programming that draws a larger audience than any sports program in history. As the highest-rated show on TV, it defines cash cow. And thanks to the skill of the crew assembled by executive producer Fred Gaudelli, it is also a show the network could be proud of.

But Thursday night, on the big opening night of the season, the suits at NBC and corporate owner Comcast had to turn the “Football Night in America” pre-game show, as well as the opening of the game itself, into a pimp machine for Ryan Seacrest and his new NBC show, “The Million Second Quiz.”

According to Zurawik, Seacrest embodies the worst aspects of commercial television – the phoniness, the lack of creativity and talent, the vapid emptiness at its heart. You don’t take someone like that and shove him down the throats of serious sportsfans on opening night as NBC did Thursday.

On Monday, Sept. 9, ESPN Radio will unveil the first phase
of its revamped late afternoon and evening weekday lineup when Sedano & Stink,
hosted by Jorge Sedano and Mark Schlereth, debuts at 7 p.m. ET. The three-hour show will be followed each
weekday by The Freddie Coleman Show at 10 p.m.

The new lineup will be complete when The Dan LeBatard Show
makes its national debut from Miami
on Monday, Sept 30 at 4 p.m. The
three-hour program will tackle the major issues of the day and feature
thought-provoking sports discussion. LeBatard’s
local radio show on WAXY 790 AM / 104.3 FM The Ticket will continue to be broadcast for one hour beginning at 3 p.m.

LeBatard will also continue to host Highly Questionable on
ESPN2 weekdays at 4 p.m. Bomani Jones, who is a regular on the TV show, will
also have a role on the new national radio program.

All shows will be available on ESPN Radio, espnradio.com,
the ESPN Radio app and Sirius Channel 84.

Sedano & Stink (7-10 p.m.) Debuts Sept. 9

Jorge Sedano, most recently the program director/afternoon
host at WQAM in Miami,
will make his ESPN Radio debut on the show.
ESPN NFL analyst Mark Schlereth, whose nickname while with the Denver
Broncos was “Stink,” has co-hosted in this time slot since January 2012. The
focus and tone of the show will evolve as evening events unfold. Listener interaction via social media will be
a staple of the program.

The Freddie Coleman Show (10 p.m. – 1 a.m.) Debuts Sept. 9

The three-hour show, hosted by Coleman, will focus on the
sports news events of the day and the games in progress with an emphasis on
Coleman’s opinions and reaction to those events. The show had previously aired on Saturday and
Sunday nights.

Billboard's annual Songs of the Summer running tally tracks
the most popular songs based on cumulative performance on the weekly Hot 100
chart from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

According to Billboard, "Lines" took hold of the top rank on the Billboard
Hot 100 the week of June 22 for its first of 12 frames at No. 1. (It cedes the
summit to Katy Perry's "Roar" this week.) It ties two other songs for
the most weeks tallied at No. 1 on the Hot 100 encompassing charts covering
Memorial Day through Labor Day: Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together,"
the top summer song of 2005, which collected 12 of its 14 total weeks on top in
that span, and Brandy & Monica's "The Boy Is Mine," which notched
12 of its 13 weeks at No. 1 in the Songs of the Summer chart's tracking period
in 1998.

"Lines" has dominated multiple charts over the
summer. In addition to its Hot 100 reign, it set the record for the highest
weekly audience (228.9 million, according to Nielsen BDS) in the 23-year
history of Billboard's Radio Songs chart, passing Carey's "Belong"
(212.2 million). It leads the list for a ninth frame this week. The song also
scored the Hot 100's top Airplay Gainer award for a record 10 weeks.

Even as the heat of summer fades, "Lines"
continues to top a host of surveys. It rules R&B Songs for a 16th week, Hot
R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (for a 13th), Rhythmic (10th), Pop Songs (ninth), Adult
R&B (fifth) and Adult Pop Songs (fourth). It's sold 5.4 million downloads
to date, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Lew Dickey, chief executive officer of Cumulus Media Inc.,
talks about the company’s planned $260 million transaction with Dial Global
Inc. and the outlook for the radio industry. Dickey speaks with Betty Liu on
Bloomberg Television's "In the Loop."

CEO Lew Dickey said the company wanted to “de-couple”
Hannity’s show from the Rush Limbaugh program, which it recently renewed in all
of its markets except New York

Dickey discloses that Limbaugh’s successor in New York will be a local
host. No word on how WABC 770 AM will fill Hannity's slot.

Nielsen Holdings NV, seeking to form a company able to
measure audiences across TV, radio, the Web and mobile, is negotiating
concessions with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission that would permit its $1.26
billion acquisition of Arbitron Inc., two people with knowledge of the talks told bloombergnews.com.

The discussion centers on a requirement for the combined
company to license measurement technology to ComScore Inc. (SCOR), in addition
to researchers, television networks and other parties, said the people, who
asked not to be identified because the conversations weren’t public. A consent
order could become public within the month after Nielsen said Aug. 30 it agreed
to extend the review period into September, without setting a specific date.

While the situation remains fluid, the talks are a positive
sign for Nielsen, one of the people said. An agreement would be a win for the
company, whose ratings help set rates for $70 billion in U.S. television advertising.

Nielsen is seeking to overcome objections from the FTC,
competitors including ComScore and TV networks such as Walt Disney Co. (DIS)’s
ESPN.

The Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) and the National
Association of Broadcasters (NAB) have announced today that executives from
State Farm and OMD will participate in a Q&A at the 2013 Radio Show
Advertiser Luncheon.

State Farm is one of the country's leading broadcast
advertisers. The event, sponsored by Katz Media Group, will be held on
September 18 at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando.

RAB President and CEO Erica Farber will moderate a
discussion with Tim Van Hoof, assistant vice president of marketing, State Farm
and Sumeet Kanwar, managing director, Midwest & Strategy for OMD, State
Farm's media planning and buying agency partner.

State Farm, a Fortune 50 Company and one of the top ten
radio advertisers of 2012, increased its radio advertising spend by 20 percent
in the first half of 2013 and by 32 percent in Q2 2013. Van Hoof and his OMD
agency partner, Kanwar, will address why they and other advertisers leverage
the power of radio.

iBiquity Digital Corporation, the developer of digital HD
Radio Technology for AM and FM audio and data broadcasting, announced today
that the 2014 Tundra, Corolla, Sequoia, 4Runner, and Tacoma are the first
Toyota vehicles to launch integrated audio and real-time traffic and weather
services using Clear Channel's Total Traffic HD Network (TTN) and HD Radio
Technology.

The 2014 Toyota Corolla, Tundra and Sequoia are now
available with the 4Runner and Tacoma
arriving in dealerships later this month.

Toyota
has launched two new systems integrating HD Radio digital audio entertainment
and TTN's real-time traffic and weather information:

For vehicles with navigation systems, Toyota will provide a digital audio and
navigation system driven by the first of its kind hybrid technology capable of
receiving digital traffic and weather information from both HD Radio stations
and the cell phone network, using the driver's smartphone connected with the
Toyota Entune system.

For vehicles without navigation, Toyota will offer a premium
display audio system complete with free traffic maps and weather information,
all delivered by HD Radio stations across the country.

Both systems will also offer the latest digital audio features
including Artist Experience, allowing listeners to view images such as album
art on their radio screens as they enjoy their favorite HD Radio stations.

Jeff Jury, Chief Operating Officer of iBiquity Digital said,
"Toyota is
leading the automotive industry with their innovative HD Radio offering. By utilizing multiple delivery systems for
traffic and weather information Toyota
has built a very compelling service offering.
We are very pleased that subscription-free audio entertainment and
traffic and weather information over the HD Radio system is an integral part of
this offering. Toyota and the entire automotive industry is
adopting the latest HD Radio audio and data features very quickly driving the
transition of over-the-air AM & FM broadcasting to a digital future."

In 1993, Rush Limbaugh’s book on family values, religion and
individualism, “See I Told You So” made the New York Times best seller list.
Now 20 years later, Limbaugh is back in the business, only this time he has
something for the kids, according to Fox News.

During the opening of his radio program on Thursday, the
conservative media personality announced he is releasing a children’s book
entitled “Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims: Time-Travel Adventures with
Exceptional American,” which details his version of the Thanksgiving story, a
story he typically shares with his listeners prior to the holiday.

Limbaugh, 62, said his wife was to thank for the creative
nudge.

“My wife Kathryn came up with an idea that literally lit a
fire under me. She said, ‘You know you’re always talking about how history is
being mistaught. You’re right. You’re always talking about what kids are
learning these days, and they’re not learning about the greatness of America,” he
said Thursday. “They’re not learning about the founding days. They’re not
learning the right things about the great people, the exceptional people in
this country.’ She said, ‘Why don’t you write a book for kids?’”

The Associated Press' Matt Lee was incredulous over
President Obama's decision to ask for congressional approval to attack Syria during a
press briefing at the State Department Thursday.

According to Mediaite, Lee asked spokeswoman Jen Psaki if
there was a "group spine-removal procedure at the White House over the
weekend."

Lee appeared to be baffled by Secretary of State John
Kerry's use of the word "courageous" to describe Obama's actions.
"I don't understand why he is so full-throatedly in favor of this,"
Lee said.

"He over the weekend said the president was acting
courageously by taking this to Congress, and I don't understand what is
courageous about asking permission for something that you say you don't need
and to do what you believe to be the right thing not just morally but in
general."

Psaki attempted to explain Kerry's comments, but only got a
handful of words out before Lee interrupted her. "Was there some kind of,
like, group spine-removal procedure at the White House over the weekend?"
he asked. "I don't understand. How is this courageous?"

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ longtime announcer Vin Scully will
lead the 2014 Rose Parade as the grand marshal, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses
announced Thursday.

According to KTLA, The legendary broadcaster joins the ranks of dozens who have
served as the leader of the annual event in Pasadena, ranging from Frank Sinatra to
Richard Nixon.

Speaking at the announcement ceremony at the tournament’s Orange Grove Boulevard
house in Pasadena,
Scully recalled riding in the parade on a Dodgers float, saying it reminded him
of the sound of the crowd he heard when listening to football games on the
radio as a boy.

“That turn, when you suddenly start going down Colorado, it’s like
going through a canyon of people, not walls of stone. And the crowd begins to
roar at the floats, and there I am, once again, 8 years old, curled up under
the radio,” Scully said. “It’s a remarkable experience. I’m humbled over the
thought that I will experience it again as the grand marshal.”

Until its announcement, the name of the grand marshal is a
secret closely guarded by the tradition-rich Tournament of Roses each year.

The marshal rides in the New Year’s Day parade and
tosses the coin before the Rose Bowl Game, which on Jan. 1 will mark its 100th
anniversary.Read More Now.

ESPN Buffalo will offer the very best of ESPN's world wide
sports programming resources 24/7 - 365 days a year. In combination with Entercom's WGR 550AM,
Buffalo's local sports leader, ESPN Buffalo will offer local sports fans the
very best in national sports talk, and access to expanded national and local play-by-play
sports action.

"Buffalo
is a passionate sports town and the appetite for sports programming on the
radio keeps growing. With WGR 550AM and
now ESPN Buffalo 1520AM, Entercom Buffalo has expanded our ability to offer the
best and most comprehensive local and national sports coverage to Buffalo
sports fans. Giving our clients and
advertisers even better access to the total Buffalo sports audience," said Entercom
Buffalo Operations Manager Tim Wenger.

ESPN 1520 kicks off its LIVE sports action with complete
LIVE coverage of the 2013 NHL Prospect Tournament, which runs Sept. 5 to Sept.
9 in Traverse City, Mich., Every Sabres game will be carried
live, with play-by-play provided by Paul Hamilton of WGR 550 radio.

MyGoodDeed, the respected 9/11 nonprofit which annually
organizes the federally-recognized 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance
(http://911day.org), has again named longtime supporter Clear Channel Media and
Entertainment the official national entertainment partner of 9/11 Day.

Over the last three years, Clear Channel has committed over
$10 million in airtime support, the single largest media contribution by any 9/11 Day
partner.

From September 1 through September 11, Clear Channel's 840
radio stations will air a series of on-air public service messages in support
of 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance. Listeners who want to participate can
choose options including volunteering, donating to charities of their choice,
or simply making a voluntary pledge to dedicate time on 9/11, or another day,
to performing good deeds that help others in need.

This 9/11, an estimated 35 million people are expected to
observe the day through service of some nature.

Some of this year's projects will address needed upgrades
and servicing at sites including the FDNYFireAcademy,
the St. Louis Fire Department Headquarters and Training Facility, and the TexasFireMuseum. From Saturday,
September 7 through Wednesday, September 11, Clear Channel on-air personalities
in New York, Boston, Washington DC, St. Louis, Dallas, and Phoenix will help
promote volunteer activities and in many instances will be personally on
location to report back to listeners. In NYC, Bethany Watson, co-host of the
popular "Elvis Duran and the Morning Show" in New York on Z100, which
is syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks, will be onsite at the Fire Academy
Randall's Island to assist in refreshing and improving the facility atmosphere.

"Clear Channel was an inaugural partner of 9/11 Day in 2010
because we strongly believed in giving the public a platform to publicly or
privately honor those lost in the attacks on September 11, 2001," said
Jessica King, Director of Community Engagement for Clear Channel.

"We believe our participation is more important each
passing year to ensure that 9/11 Day remains the world's largest annual day of
charitable service and giving in the U.S."

Thursday, September 5, 2013

The securities litigation firm of Brower Piven, A
Professional Corporation, has commenced an investigation into possible breaches
of fiduciary duty to current shareholders of Dial Global, Inc., now
WestwoodOne, and other violations of state law by the board of directors of
Dial relating to the proposed merger of the Company with Cumulus Media, Inc.

The firm's investigation seeks to determine, among other
things, whether the board of directors of Dial breached their fiduciary duties
by failing to maximize shareholder value.

According to the press release announcing the proposed
merger, Dial shareholders will receive $0.155 for each share of Dial common
stock they own. The company's stock recently traded above the proposed merger
price.

Current common stock of Dial can learn more about the
investigation being conducted by Brower Piven by you may emailing or calling
Brower Piven, who will, without obligation or cost to you, attempt to answer
your questions.

The Oneida Indian Nation said Thursday it will launch a
radio ad campaign pressing for the Washington Redskins to get rid of a nickname
that is often criticized as offensive.

According to the AP, the Nation said the first ad will run
on radio stations in Washington
before the team hosts the Philadelphia Eagles in its season opener Monday
night. In the ad, Oneida Nation Representative Ray Halbritter says NFL
Commissioner Roger Goodell should "stand up to bigotry" by denouncing
"the racial slur" in the team's name.

"We do not deserve to be called redskins," the Oneida leader says in the
ad. "We deserve to be treated as what we are - Americans."

Sun Broadcast Group, Inc. announced today that the entertainment
and lifestyle oriented, The Marilu Henner Show has joined its program schedule.
This weekday addition to Sun Broadcast Group’s lineup is designed as a brand
new approach to Talk Radio and is non-political and non-controversial.

The well-known actress, seven-time New York Times bestselling
author, and one of twelve people in the world verified with Highly Superior
Autobiographical Memory, Marilu Henner, for more than thirty years has
championed a vigorous, healthy lifestyle and has inspired millions of people
along the way.

“The listeners, the clients and the agencies are all saying
the same thing that Talk Radio needs to be reinvented”, said Steve Gallagher,
Sun Broadcast Group EVP. “We are excited beyond belief to be able to be working
with Marilu Henner, whose boundless energy and love of life will be shared on
radio, the most personal of all mediums. She is a natural!”

Having starred in over thirty films, six Broadway shows, and
two hit classic sitcoms, Taxi and Evening Shade, the five-time Golden Globe
Nominee, Marilu Henner said, "I love to share life-empowering information
that inspires positive changes in people, and there’s no better way to do that
than through a daily radio show. Its impact is immediate, global, and intimate,
all at once! That’s why I’m thrilled to be part of Sun Broadcast Group. Their
philosophy that radio should be “helpful, not hurtful” is totally in sync with
the way I live my life!"

The Marilu Henner Show launches Monday September 9, 2013,
live via satellite from Los Angeles,
12:00 PM-3 PM (Eastern). The show’s format is compliant to PPM methodology and
will consist of celebrity interviews, lifestyle and health segments, phone
calls and fun benchmark segments like “Healthy Hollywood Tips”, “Marilu’s
Memory Minute” and “BackstagePass” where Marilu’s
celebrity friends pull back the curtain on Show Biz!

While the Liberty Media chairman John Malone has no plans to
retire any time soon, the NYPost is reporting, he has told colleagues recently
that he wants to put in place a succession plan for when he eventually steps
aside, according to sources familiar with the talks.

The 73-year-old billionaire oversees a far-flung media
empire with investments spanning cable, satellite radio and music.

His succession plan could spark a rivalry between the bosses
of various Liberty-controlled companies, among them Liberty Media CEO Greg
Maffei, who helped engineer the SiriusXM takeover, and Mike Fries, who
spearheaded the $24 billion acquisition of Virgin Media.

Malone’s son, Evan, who is an engineer, is also on the
boards of several Liberty-controlled companies. It’s unclear if he would be
considered a candidate to succeed his father.

Pandora Media Director Timothy Westergren sold 85,000 shares
of the stock on the open market in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday,
September 3rd.

The stock was sold at an average price of $18.64, for a
total value of $1,584,400.00. Following the transaction, the director now
directly owns 340,000 shares in the company. The transaction was disclosed in a
document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link.

Meanwhile, Pandora announced today new metrics that were reached in the month of August
2013.

Listener hours for Pandora during the month of August 2013
were 1.35 billion, an increase of 16% from 1.16 billion during the same period
last year.

Share of total U.S. radio listening for Pandora in
August 2013 was 7.46%, an increase from 6.30% at the same time last year.

Active listeners were 72.1 million at the end of August
2013, an increase of 28% from 56.2 million during the same time period last
year.

Greater Media’s Country station WKLB 102.5 FM wins 6+ bragging
rights for the second consecutive month; although it lost some momentum moving 8.1—7.8.

CCM+E
Top 40 WXKS 107.9 FM KISS 108 was steady 7.6—7.6, so they closed the gap with
WKLB a bit. CBS Radio Classic Rock WZLX 100.7 FM was
down 6.8—6.1, but still ended up #3. Cluster-mate News WBZ-A 1030 AM was also down 6.3—5.7,
good for a tie at #4 with Greater Media’s AC WMJX MAGIC 106.7 FM.

Sports stations WBZ-FM The Hub 98.5 FM moved 4.5—3.9 to
maintain a slim lead WEEI 93.7 FM which was up 3.2—3.8.

25-54: WXKS…WKLB…WZLX..WMJX..WBMX

18-34: WXKS…WJMN…WKLB…WBQT…WBOS

18-49: WXKS…WKLB…WBOS…WZLX…4-way
tie: WZLX..WBZ-FM…WJMN…WBQT

Cume:

WXKS-FM 1,563,000...WMJX 1,234,800..WROR 1,032,200

Arbitron has also released August PPMs Topline ratings for
the following markets: WashingtonDC, Boston, Miami-Ft.Lauderdale-Hollywood, FL,
Detroit, Seattle-Tacoma, WA., Phoenix,
Minneapolis-St.Paul, MN,
San Diego, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL,
Denver-Boulder, Co., Baltimore and St. Louis.

Katz Media Group Wednesday announced veteran media executive,
Mark Rosenthal, has been named CEO of Katz Radio Group (KRG), its radio
representation company.

Rosenthal, who was part of the original team that created
MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1 and Comedy Central, has been a leader in the media
industry for more than 25 years, building advertising and marketing solutions
for world-class media brands.

In this new position, Rosenthal will oversee Katz Radio
Group, working closely with President Mark Gray and the KRG team to ensure
continued high-level performance in the transactional arena. Rosenthal will
also focus on KRG's radio advocacy efforts and lead an accelerated charge to
bring additional revenue into the radio sector.

"We are thrilled to have such a well-respected media
executive join Katz Radio Group. Mark has an enormous range of experience
across all forms of media, from traditional and digital media to the agency
world," said John Hogan, Chairman and CEO of Clear Channel Media and
Entertainment.

The Madison Square Garden Company and Azoff Music Management
have announced that they have reached an agreement to create a new music, media
and entertainment company focused on continuing the development of AMM’s
existing businesses and exploring new ventures and growth opportunities that
maximize opportunities for clients, partners and associated brands.

The new company, to be called Azoff MSG Entertainment LLC
(Company), will continue Azoff’s long history of creating new avenues and
opportunities for artists, enabling them to realize the full value of their
creative vision.

The Company is a new-model music, media and entertainment
company, at the forefront of the emerging revenue streams and groundbreaking
technologies of the fast-changing 21st century, which will put artists and
their fans first, and create ongoing opportunities for artists and talent in
today’s changing marketplace, maximizing their potential through innovative
marketing, branding and live events.

KLAX 97.9 FM, the regional-Mexican-music station that features
Ricardo "El Mandril" Sanchez during morning drive, once again led
that all-important 6-10 a.m. weekday slot, when millions of people are turning
to the radio as they begin their day.

According to the LA Times, Sanchez first leapt to the top
spot in June, when he bested talk station KFI 640 AM 5.3 to 5.0 share. He
pulled farther ahead in July, beating KFI and alternative rock station KROQ-106.7 FM 5.9 to 4.7. Then Sanchez really hit
the gas in August. While KFI and KROQ — the latter featuring Kevin Ryder and
Gene "Bean" Baxter — remained tied at second, inching ahead to 4.8,
Sanchez pulled away with a 6.5 share of the audience.

KFI, whose morning lineup features local host Bill Handel,
followed by the first hour of Rush Limbaugh's national show, had long been the
undisputed leader in that part of the day. Only three times from 2009 to 2012
was KFI out of first place in morning drive; but August marked the fifth time
so far this year that the Handel-Limbaugh team was looking up at its
competitors.

The August survey was the last to feature onetime ratings
leader Eddie "Piolín" Sotelo on regional-Mexican-music station
KSCA-101.9 FM — albeit for only his last three weekdays on the air. The
station's parent company, Univision Communications Inc., abruptly canceled his
show July 22 amid sexual harassment allegations. Since then, Sotelo has sued former
colleagues and signed with SiriusXM.

From 2005 to 2008, Sotelo was the one with the stranglehold
on morning ratings, but lately he had resided in the lower ranks of the Top 10. In August, with Sotelo gone for most of the
survey, KSCA and its morning show fell to a fifth-place tie at 3.9%, the same
as KBIG's morning host, Sean Valentine.

Sanchez's dominance is remarkable because he had been in
seventh place as recently as April, and was 10th in January.

For a long time, it's been assumed that SiriusXM has the
right to distribute and perform pre-1972 recordings.

Then last month, Flo & Eddie of The Turtles brought a
proposed $100 million class-action lawsuit against the satellite radio giant,
premised on the theory that because sound recordings didn't fall under federal
copyright protection until 1972, the SiriusXM couldn't rely on statutory
royalty rates for these older tunes.

According to THR, the initial lawsuit from Flo & Eddie
was filed in California,
but if state law rather than federal law applies, why stop there? In fact, Flo
& Eddie haven't. After filing action in California,
the plaintiffs filed another lawsuit in New
York. And now, Flo & Eddie have struck a third
time, with another proposed class action lawsuit against Sirius in Florida court. The
Turtles are crawling across the nation.

Together with a lawsuit filed last week by SoundExchange,
which alleges in its own $100 million lawsuit that SiriusXM shouldn't have
subtracted pre-'72 recordings from gross revenue calculations, this marks the
fourth whopping lawsuit that Sirius has seen in the past month.

Also, this latest action in Florida court isn't really for just $100
million. Try three times that amount.

SiriusXM was contacted by The Hollywood Reporter for a
response to the litigation, but so far, it has been mum. There likely will come
some argument from SiriusXM on why state laws are pre-empted by federal
statutes and it has authority to distribute and perform pre-'72 recordings
without the express permission of the rights owners.

Sirius XM Radio has signed a new agreement to broadcast the
programs of Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network for its 25 million
subscribers until August 2019.

According to the satellite radio providers, both channels
will also be included in the Sirius XM Internet Radio lineup as part of the
agreement.

Sirius XM Radio Inc will continue to broadcast Fox News on
Sirius XM channel 114 and online at siriusxm.com while Fox Business will be
aired by the satellite radio provider for the first time this fall. The company
will also broadcast Fox News Talk, which offers news, analysis and commentaries
from Fox News broadcasters such as Brian Kilmeade, John Gibson and Alan Colmes.

In a statement, Jim Mayer, CEO of Sirius XM Radio Inc. said,
“FOX News is an undeniable force in news, and its personalities attract a large
audience nationwide. Keeping its distinctive voice in our powerful program
offering, and adding those of FOX Business and FOX News Talk to our lineup of
news channels, further expands their availability to a nation of listeners.”

On the other hand, Roger Ailes, Chairman and CEO of FOX News
said, “Our viewers love the ability to keep the connection with FOX News
Channel, even while they’re in the car with Sirius XM.” He added that the
agreement not only ensures that Fox News will continue, but also added Fox
Business News and Fox News Talk channel, which can also be accessed by Sirius
XM subscribers on their computers and smartphones.

Norman Julius ‘Boomer’ Esiason and Craig Carton could be on
the verge of leaving the Madison Square Garden Network and heading for the
Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network, according to industry sources.

The NYDaily News has learned YES suits have made an offer
that, if accepted, would bring WFAN’s 660 AM/101.9 FM simulcast of “The “Boomer
and Carton” morning drive-time show to the pinstripe network.

Esiason/Carton’s MSG contract expires in the middle of this
month. Traditionally, the incumbent network, in this case MSG, has an exclusive
negotiating period, but that window has expired.

This has allowed YES, which already airs the simulcast of
Mike (Sports Pope) Francesa’s WFAN afternoon drive show, to begin negotiations
to acquire rights to Esiason/Carton’s FAN simulcast. YES did make a competitive
bid, a TV mole said.

MSG now has the right to match YES’ offer if it wants to
keep “The Boomer and Carton Show.”

MSG brass now has a big decision to make. Stepping back, and
looking at this situation on a number of levels, it would be stunning if MSG
declines to keep Esiason/Carton on its network.

Advertising rates on network television and for TV show
viewing online will soon be the same, "so we won't care where you
watch," CBS Chief Executive Leslie Moonves told CNBC on Wednesday.

Moonves—fresh from his network's win over Time Warner Cable
in their contract dispute—predicted in a "Squawk Box" interview that
ad parity could come in three to five years. "If you go on a college
campus today, most of the kids are watching their shows online."

That's why CBS had pushed back so hard on Time Warner Cable
over digital rights. "One of the things that we won," he said,
"is the ability to slice and dice our content all over the place. To put
it on Netflix, to put it on Amazon, to let people binge-view."

CBS also got TWC to pay higher network retransmission fees.
"We are the No. 1 network ... for 10 of the last 11 years," Moonves
said. "Don't you think we should get fair value for that?"

Talk Radio Network (TRN) is not happy about the pending
Cumulus-Dial Global deal and has issued a statement calling on regulatory
agencies to block the deal. TRN claims
“antitrust and First Amendment rights are at stake.”

Here is their full statement:

Over the past five years, Dial Global has become a monopoly.
Dial engaged in a long list of illegal and unethical behavior, including
failing to pay us our share of advertising revenues generated by our
programming. We have detailed that conduct in two cases pending against Dial
(and others) in federal court in Manhattan and Oregon. Dial’s illegal
conduct has continued recently, as it has refused even to pay to us our
advertising revenues, which Dial collected as our ad rep. We believe that
discovery in our actions will show that Dial’s conduct was part of a deliberate
strategy to acquire or destroy viable companies by interfering with revenue
streams that Dial controls as a result of its monopoly power.

Dial’s history shows that all members of the industry should
be concerned about, and should act to prevent, Cumulus’s proposed acquisition
of Dial. In our view, if the transaction
goes forward, the combined company could dominate both the radio station
platforms in the top 100 markets and the talk and news content for broadcast in
those markets. At the same time, we are concerned that Dial’s history of
illegal and unethical conduct could infect Cumulus and affect the way the
merged entity does business. The threat that this merger poses is not just to
us. It is to every independent content provider, to many other members of the
industry, and more generally to a vibrant marketplace of ideas on radio.

We will continue to pursue our claims against Dial
vigorously, and we will take all necessary actions to oppose Cumulus’s proposed
acquisition, including in our pending litigation with Dial, with appropriate
governmental authorities, and in the media. We have heard from other members of
the industry with similar concerns. Given the implications for others, we
encourage all independent content providers and other affected members of the
industry to rise up and express opposition in every proper forum.

Lori Moore, one of the most recognizable names and voices in
Kalamazoo
radio, announced today she is leaving WKZO 590 AM. Her last day will be Friday.

Moore, who started her Kalamazoo
radio career in 1981, is the host of "The Lori Moore Show," which
airs weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. on WKZO-AM (590). Moore, 54, has been at WKZO for 18 years.

“It’s really sad. I spent 18 years there, which is a quarter
of KZO’s history, practically. I felt like I had a connection with the people
and the clients. It’s sad. On the other hand, I don’t have to get up 3:45 a.m.
anymore," Moore
said during a phone interview with mlive.com.

Moore will be on air
Thursday, including a remote broadcast from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Kellogg
Community Federal Credit Union on Romence
Road. For her final show, Moore said she has regularly scheduled
guests, "but I imagine people will call in. I'm not sure how it will play
out. I'll just try not to cry."

WKZO was owned by Fairfield Broadcasting, which hired Moore and made her a
morning host in 1995. Former Fairfield owner Stephen
Trivers, who hired Moore,
called her a "remarkable talent." WKZO station was sold to Midwest Communications in 2006.

Moore
said the decision to leave was hers.

“This is my idea. I didn’t get fired. Things have changed.
It’s time to go," she said. "I want to do something else."

We now know who will be filling the midday slot in the WHAS 840 AM programming lineup.

Clear Channel Media and Entertainment says Leland Conway
will join WHAS 840 AM on September 16th.
The Leland Conway Show will air weekdays from 9 a.m. to 12 Noon.

He replaces Mandy Connell, who left last month to host a
morning show in Denver. Connell actually returned to the air in Louisville to introduce her successor and Conway says she’ll be a tough act to follow.

Conway is a Kentucky
native, and worked on the play-by-play sports crews at GeorgetownCollege and EasternKentuckyUniversity. In addition, he also hosted a talk show for 6
years on NewsRadio WLAP 630 AM in Lexington.
Most recently, he hosted a daily talk show on WRVA 1140 AM in Richmond, Virginia.

“This is an exciting appointment for 84WHAS Radio and the
Kentuckiana community. We talked to many highly qualified and experienced on-air
personalities, but Leland’s talents really shined brightly,” said Kelly Carls,
regional programming manager, Clear Channel Media and Entertainment. “His wit, energy and longstanding Kentucky roots make him
a great fit. We’re extremely happy he’s returning to the BluegrassState.”

“It is an honor to join the 84WHAS team. As a native
Kentuckian, I grew up with 84WHAS,” said Conway. “It’s as much a part of the BluegrassState
as hot browns and horse racing. I am excited to once again be a part of the
lively conversation in Kentucky.”

It doesn’t look like part-time radio employee Matt Carter is going to get his legal
expenses reimbursed in the latest legal twist to the 2007 death of a listener who took part in a radio promotion..

According to Central Valley Business Times, the California
3rd District Court of Appeal says Carter “did not have an absolute right to
chose his own attorney to represent him at the expense of his employer” or the
radio station’s insurance company.

Jennifer Strange

Carter was among those involved in the ill-fated promotion
that saw a Rancho Cordova woman die. Jennifer
Strange, then 28 and a mother of three, was taking part in a promotion dubbed
“Hold Your Wee for a Wii” and which involved drinking as much water as possible
in a three-hour period without going to the bathroom. She drank about two
gallons of water and died as a result of apparent “water intoxication” – a
dilution of body fluids leading to fatal changes in electrolyte levels.

Carter was a part-time employee of KDND 107.9 FM the End,
owned by Entercom Sacramento LLC, a unit of Entercom Communications Corp. His
job that morning was to pass out bottles of water to the contestants. Four days
after the death, he and others were fired, but Entercom promised to provide
legal counsel.

However, Carter hired his own lawyer. Ultimately, that
attorney submitted a bill for $807,421.22 in fees and costs. The insurance
company balked, noting that it had offered to provide counsel. The trial court
agreed, and now, so has the Court of Appeal.

A Sacramento County Superior Court jury awarded the woman’s
husband and other plaintiffs a total of $16.57 million, largely in punitive
damages.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Dial Global, the largest independent national audio media
company in the U.S.,
today announced that it has changed its name to WestwoodOne.

The company will continue to lead the marketplace with
unparalleled programming and client service under the esteemed WestwoodOne
brand. The media company's 225 million consumers will still have access to
exclusive national radio coverage including: The NFL, Olympic Games, Barclays
Premier League, and the GRAMMY Awards.

Paul Caine

"We're proud of what we've accomplished as Dial Global.
Through our belief in the power of sound we are dedicated to continuously
reinventing the industry and creating the most dynamic audio programming that
connects people to their passions," said Paul Caine, CEO of Dial Global.

"With the audio industry's ever-changing landscape we
know we've just scratched the surface of what's possible for audio's broad
consumption. By reclaiming and reviving an iconic audio brand name, we are not
changing who we are, but accelerating the great work we are doing to contribute
to the growth of audio."

As part of its commitment to the audio community, the
company has commissioned an industry study on the "power of sound,"
aimed at better understanding consumers, their behavior, and their interaction
with audio. The study builds on current recency data proving radio as the most
used medium closest to point-of-purchase and will explore trends in audio consumption
based on behavioral tendencies among various demographics.

Full study results are expected to be released in the fourth
quarter of 2013. Preliminary findings further the notion that audio is an
integral part of the new media landscape.

That puts it a full half-share lead over
cluster-mate Top 40 KIIS 102,7 KISS FM, which moved 5.3—5.4... CBS Radio Top 40
KAMP 97.1 FM AMP finished third again 4.6—4.5, and CCM+E AC KOST 103.5 FM
remained fourth 4.5—4.4. Emmis Top 40
KPWR 105.9 FM POWER was again in fifth place 4.4—4.0.

25-54: KBIG…KIIS…KLAX…KROQ
tied KSCA

18-34: KISS…KPWR..KBIG…KAMP…KROQ

18-49:
KBIG..KIIS..KPWR…KAMP…KROQ

Cume: KIIS 3,845,800…KBIG
3,473,300..KAMP 3,181,300

Other August PPMs were released Tuesday for San
Francisco, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Philadelphia,
Atlanta, Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island),
Riverside-San Bernardino, San Jose, Middlesex-Somerset-Union, NJ.

CCM+E Urban AC WVAZ V103 leads the market, despite posting
its lowest number since March moving 7.4—6.7 in the August PPMs 6+.

Hubbard’s Hot AC WTMX MIX 101.9 FM was also down 5.3—5.0, but remained at #2 again. CBS Radio’s Newser
WBBM AM & FM was steady 4.9—4.9 good for third place. CCM+E Urban WGCI 107.5 FM, jumped to #4
moving 4.1—4.7. In its last ratings
period under its old talent lineup, Tribune’s WGN 720 AM remains at #5 4.6—4.6.

25-54: WTMX…WVAZ…WGCI…WKSC…WUSN

18-34: WGCI…WNUA…WTMX
tied WKSC…WBBM

18-49: WGCI…WTMX…WVAZ…WKSC…WBBM

Cume: WKSC is #1 in
Cume with 2,229,600

Other August PPMs were released Tuesday for San
Francisco, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Philadelphia,
Atlanta, Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island),
Riverside-San Bernardino, San Jose, Middlesex-Somerset-Union, NJ.

Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey expects to see cost savings from the
$260 million deal to acquire Dial Global, as well as the chance to distribute
premium, curated content across emerging platforms, including overseas.

According to RadioWorld, Dickey told Wall Street analysts
Tuesday, the DG deal as well as the one
to spinoff noncore Cumulus properties to Townsquare Media to fund the DG buy
are capital neutral, and will help deleverage the Cumulus balance sheet.

Overall, Cumulus expects to see some $40 million in cost
savings from eliminating duplication between DG and Cumulus Media Networks.

But the real beauty of the transactions are the compelling
and strategic opportunities they create to help Cumulus play in a larger
content distribution pond in the future, especially in the growing sports and
talk content areas, according to Dickey. It “creates a platform for content
creation, distribution and monetization. This was an interesting way for us to
engage in portfolio management and create an upside.”

Dickey predicts both the DG and Townsquare Media deals,
subject to regulatory approval, will close in November.

"It's a little daunting just because Bob Durgin's a
market legend," Matthews told pennlive.com. "Anytime you take over a
show that has that level of respect and historic impact on the market there's
bound to be some nerves."

Matthews was fighting nerves even before he got the job on
Aug. 26. The station held weeks of on-air auditioning for candidates for the
host spot.

When he finally heard the
news, Matthews said he was "extremely thrilled."

"I was very energized," he went on. "Really,
from a broadcast standpoint, it's an honor to be in that company of people."

As for what listeners can expect from the program, Matthews
plans on following the standard format from Durgin's days but with a few
change-ups.

"My show is going to be where politics, pop culture and
people all kind of overlap," he said, "It'll be things that impact
peoples lives in the listening area. Sometimes it'll be political, sometimes
it'll be something local that happened."